Refrigeration



Feb. 3, 1942. w. H.- Kmo' 2,271,558

REFRIGERATION Filed Oct. 5, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Wiliam/[Haifa Feb. 3, 1942. A w. H. KrrTo- V 2,271,558

INVENTOR mzliamJZ/zzo @y @fm ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 3, 1942 UNITED- s'rATEs PATENT y, OFFICE l aEFmGERATrN wiuiam'n. man, canton, omo, signor to The Hoover Company, North (ianton, Ohio, a cort poration of Ohio 'I'his invention relates to refrigeration, and more particularly, to an ice 'cube tray for domestic refrigerators with means for releasing frozen ice cubes therefrom.

It is the usual practice to remove ice cubes from the freezing ftray from a domestic refrigerator by running hot water over the bottom of thel tray so as to -melt the grid assembly and attached cubes from the tray and thereafter running additional hot water over the lgrid assembly to remove the individual cubes therefrom.

This has the disadvantage that the ice is wasted since the cubes become appreciably smaller in melting them loose. It also has the disadvantage that the surface of the ice is wet and slippery and water drips around the place where the cubes are being removed which necessitates wiping up after each removal of the cubes.

ciated therewith for releasing the grid assembly from the trayand for freeing the individual ice 'It has also been proposed to'remove ice cubes from the freezing tray of a domestic refrigerator by a' mechanical leverage mechanism, but these devices have not been entirely satisfactory because of the excessive force necessary to be applied to release the cubes, their complexity,

high cost of manufacture and the fact that they get out of order easily necessitating their frev quent replacement.

In all the prior methods, it is necessary to release all the cubes and if only a few are needed, the remainder have to be stored in a-cold place or thrown away.l

The frost which collects on the evaporator of a domestic refrigerator gets contaminated by the cubes from the grid assembly.

It is another object of this invention to provide a freezing tray for refrigerators having a flexible cover with cross grid members secured to the underside thereof and a longitudinal grid member secured thereto preferably at,a single point, whereby the cover may be flexed to release the cubes from the longitudinal grid member, and whereby the Across grid members may be spread relative to each other in such manner as to` separate them from the cubes in succession.

Another feature ofthis invention -is a novel method of removing cubes from a gridvassembly in which a shearing stress is applied to the bond between. the cubes and the longitudinal grid member and a combined tearing and shearing stress is applied to the bond between the cubes vide a freezing tray for refrigerators which is odors from food kept in the cabinet, and when l the evaporator is defrosted, this contaminated water drips down into the ice tray contaminating the ice therein which necessitates throwing away the cubes and relling the tray with water. This requires operation of the machine to again freeze the cubes, and consequently delay and inconvenience.

It is an object of this invention to provide a freezing tray for a domestic refrigerator which eliminates the disadvantage of the prior methods.

It is another object of this invention to provide a freezing tray for a refrigerator in which a flexible plate-like member has grid members connected therewith together with means for removing the grid assembly fromthe tray and the individual cubes from the grid assembly singly 1t 1s another object of this invention 1mproor collectively as the operator desires.

' vide a freezing tray for a refrigerator inrwhich simple in operation, simple and economical tc manufacture, and which will not get out of order.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:A Y. Figure l is a longitudinal section of a tray' with one embodiment of the grid assembly positioned therein;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional View on line 2-'2 of Figure 1; f

. Figure 3 is Ya sectional view on line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 shows the grid assembly of Figure l removed from, the tray 4and depicting the manner in which the individual cubes may be released therefrom;

f Figure 5 is a detailed view of a portion of the device taken on line 5 5 of Figure 4.;

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view on line 6-6 of Figure 4, showing the cubes released from the longitudinal grid member;

Figure 7 isv a side elevational view of another embodiment of the invention showing the individual cubes being released from the grid assem bly; and

Figure 8 is a detailed view of a portion of the A device shown in Figure 7. g

- Referring to Figureswl to 6, inclusive, I0 indi- Vcatesfan ice tray of conventional form having side walls l and end walls I2. 'The side walls between the cube and the longitudinal member I8 Positioned in the tray I is a grid assembly 5 generally indicated at I5. The grid assembly comprises acover member I6 made from thin ilexible material such as spring steel. Secured to the underside of the cover member I6, as by rivets, are a plurality of cross grid members I1.

A longitudinal grid member I8 is secured to the cover member I6 at its central portion by means of one or more pins I9 having limited movement relative to the longitudinal grid member I8 by is subjected to a shearing stress andthe bond between the cube and the cross grid member I1 is subjected to a combined tearing and shearing stress. In applying a tearing stress, only a small portion of the bond is under stress at any one time so that it is easier to break the bond. I

When the pin 26 first engages flexible cover I6 to flex it upwardly, the end pairs of cubes will be released ilrst, and continued movement of the lever 22 will release each succeeding pair of cubes in succession. The reason 'for vertical slot 26 in partition I8 is to assure release of the central cubes due to the eventual relative movement between the central portion of the cover and partimeans of slot in the longitudinal grid mem- 15 ber I8. t

The longitudinal grid member I8 has-extensions 2I extending through slots in the cover member I6 to form a pivotal mounting for levers 22. These levers are provided with cam portions 20 23 positioned to engage thev edge of the tray when the ends overlying the central portion of the tray are raised. The levers 22 are secured to the extension 2I by means of pivot members 24.

Plate members 25 are formed integrally with 25 handle 22 so as to move therewith, and extend downwardly through openings in the cover member I6 and carry projections 26 at their lower ends adapted to engage the cover when lever 22 is raised. IIhe two cross grid members I1 adja- 30 cent the middle of the tray'are preferably provided with inturned ilanges or .feet 21 extending into the central cube compartments.

As is clearly shown in Figures 2 and 6, longitudinal partition I8 is corrugated at 28 through- 85 out its length for a purpose to be described presently. The grid assembly I5 extends above the top of the tray and is provided with a seal 32 to prevent contaminated water entering the tray.

In operation, the tray is filled with water, the 40 grid assembly positioned therein, and the tray is then placed on the evaporator shelf of a refrigerator until the water becomes frozen. The operator may then grasp the adjacent ends of the levers 22 and raise the same upwardly caus- 45 ing the cams 23 to engage the edge of the tray and raise the grid assembly and attached cubes free of the tray. Due to the fact that the cubes have a greater area in contact with the grid assembly than with the tray, they will be raised from the tray along with the grid assembly.

Further upward movement of the levers will cause projections 26 to engage the underside of the flexible cover member I6 so as to ex it upbecome flexed into an arc, and since the transverse grids will tend to remain normal to the cover at the point of attachment, the lower ends of these grids willv tend to spread. This action wardly. It will be obvious that the cover will 5,6

sets up a high shearing stress between'the cubes 50 andthe grids and breaks the bond. As the cubes near pivots 2| become freed, the force applied by the operator is transferred principally to the next pair of cubes, and so on until as many as are desired have been freed. Attention is also called to the fact that the relative movement between the cover and the longitudinal member I8 causes the ,cubes to be forced apart transversely of the tray due to the action of corrugations 28 as will cubes takes place simultaneously with -the As will' be apparent upon reilection, the bond be readily apparent. This movement of the The longitudinal grid member I8 need not besecured to the flexible vcover member I6 at its central portion but could be secured thereto near one end if desired. In this event only a single lever 22 would be required. This would result in the pair of cubes at the end of the tray having the lever being released before the others, and thereafter each succeeding pair in succession.

-The modiflcation of Figures 7 and 8 is substantially the same as that just described with the exception that the cover member I6 instead of being made of thin' flexible steel is made up of substantially non-flexible sections 29 pivotally connected together at 30. These sections, except those at each end, are provided with a lug 3| extending over the adjacent section, as indicated in Figure 8. These lugs are so arranged that when levers 22 are raised upwardly each lug will engage the top of the adjacent section after that section has pivoted slightly about its pivot 30. The next section toward center pin I8 will then pivot until it is stopped by the lug 3l on the next section. As will be seen from Fig-v ures 'l and 8, transverse grids l1 are rigidly secured to each of sections 29 on opposite sides of longitudinal partition I8' which partition may be corrugated as in the rst embodiment. A narrow flat spring extending the full length 'of the cover member, or torsion springs in the pivot, may be provided, if 'desired to restore the sections to their initial positions. As will be evident from Figure 7, the cub'es at either end of the tray are the rst to be released, and the cubes in the adjacent cells are freed next thus providing for the sequential releasing of as many cubes as are desired, as well as the application of the force applied by the operator to first one pair of cubes and then another.

The longitudinal and cross grid members need llrst cooperate with the tray to free the grid assembly therefrom, .and then the ilexible member is arched downwardly instead of upwardly to releasethe cubes' in pairs.4

From the foregoing it can be .seen that this invention provides a grid assembly capable of being applied to a standard ice tray which is vtaminate the contents thereof.

. simple in operation, easy and economical to manufacture, which will not get out of order, and in which water cannot drip into the tray and con- While I have shown but two embodiments of my invention it is to be understood that thesel embodiments are to be taken as illustrative only and not in a. limiting sense. I do not wish to be limited to the exact structure shown, but to include all equivalent variations thereof except as limited by the scope of the claims.

I claim: l. In combination, an ice cube tray, a grid as- .sembly comprising longitudinal and cross grid from said grid assembly, said cover comprising pivotally connected sections. g

7. A grid assembly adapted to be positioned in an ice cube tray for a domestic refrigerator com-f prising, a flexible cover for said tray, lateral grid members secured to said cover, a longitudina'ilL grid member so securedv to said cover that said cover may be flexed away from said longitudinal grid member to move said lateral grid members and attached cubes relative to the longitudinal vgrid member and means on said longitudinal grid member for moving said ice cubes relative to said lateral grid members as they are moved away from said longitudinal grid member.

8; A grid assembly adapted to be positioned in an ice cube tray for domestic refrigerators comprising, a flexible cover for said tray, lateral grid members secured to said plate-like member, a

longitudinal grid member so secured to said plate-like member that the plate-like member may be iiexed away from the longitudinal grid member, and means pivoted to said longitudinal grid member for exing said plate-like member to move it away from said longitudinal grid member to release ice cubes from said longitudinal grid member and separate the adjacent iateral grid members to release an ice cube therebetween. A

3. A grid assembly adapted to be positioned in an ice cube tray for a domestic refrigerator com prising, a flexible plate-like member, lateral grid members secured to said plate-like member, a longitudinal grid member secured to said platelike member at a single point and means pivoted to said longitudinal grid member 'for removing said grid assembly from said ice tray and iiexing said plate-like member away from said longitudinal grid member to release ice cubes from the longitudinal grid member and separate the adiacent lateral grid members to release an ice cube therebetween. Q

4. A grid assembly adapted toA be positioned in an ice cube tray comprising, a flexible cover for said tray, lateral 'grid members secured -to said cover, a longitudinal grid member secured to said cover at a'single point and lever means pivoted to said longitudinal grid member for flexing 'said cover away from said longitudinal grid f member to release ice cubes from said grid assembly.

5. A grid assembly adapted to be positioned in an ice cube tray for a domestic refrigerator comprising, a flexible cover for said tray, lateral grid members secured to said cover, a longitudinal grid member so secured to said cover that the flexible cover can be flexed away from the longitudinal grid member and means for flexing said cover away from said'longitudinal grid member,

said means and iiexible cover being so constructed and arranged as to release 'pairs -of cubes in succession.

6. A grid assembly adapted to be positioned in anice cube tray for a domestic refrigerator comy members secured to said cover and a'longitudinal `grid member secured to said cover at a single point, said securing means being so constructed that the longitudinal grid member may have limited movement relative to said cover whereby.

said cover can be ilexed away from said longitudinal grid member to release ice cubes from said grid assembly.

9. In combination, an ice tray, a grid assembly comprising, longitudinal and cross-grid members removably positioned therein, a cover for said tray secured to said grid assembly and force multiplying means carried by said longitudinal grid member cooperating with said cover for releasing ice cubes from said grid assembly, said means and cover being so constructed and arranged as to release pairs of cubes in succession.

10. A grid assembly adapted to be lpositioned in an ice tray to form a plurality of compartments for receiving material to befrozen comprising.A a longitudinal grid member, a iiexiblemember secured to said longitudinal grid member in such manner that the flexible member can be iiexed .away from the longitudinal grid member over a portion of its length, means carried by said ilexible member to cooperate with said longitudinal member to form a plurality' of compartments and force multiplying means coacting with said longitudinal gridmember and flexible member to ilex the flexible member away from said longitudinal grid member.

. l1. An ice tray, in combination with al grid assembly adapted to be positioned in said tray to form a plurality of compartments for receiving material to be frozen, said grid assembly comprising a longitudinal grid member, a flexible member secured to said longitudinal grid member in such.

viblemember and cooperating with said longitudinal member to form a plurality of compartments and force'multiplying means coacting with said longitudinal grid member andexible member to iiex the iiexible member away fromsaid longitudinal grid member, said force multiplying means having means associated therewith for cooperation with said ice tray for raising said grid assembly in said tray.

12. In combination, an ice tray, a divider positioned in said tray having a longitudinal dividing member and a plurality of transverse dividing members, a flexible member biased to normally lie in a flat condition secured at one portion thereof to said longitudinal dividing member, all o f said transverse dividing members being carried by said nexible member, said flexible member having a free end adapted to be moved with respect to said longitudinal dividing member and force multiplying meansv carried by said divider for flexing said flexible member away from said longitudinal dividing member whereby the transverse dividing members will be moved into diverging relationship with each other.

13. Inscombination, an ice tray, a divider positioned in` said tray having a longitudinal dividing member and a plurality of transverse dividing members, a exible member secured at one portion thereof to said longitudinal dividing member, said transverse dividing members being carried by said flexible member, said flexible member having a free end adapted to be moved with respect to said longitudinal dividing member and means for flexing said flexible member away from said longitudinal dividing member, said means having a portion thereof adapted to cooperate with said tray for raising said divider in said tray whereby upon operation of said means said divider is first lifted from said tray and the transverse dividing members are moved into diverging relationship with each other.

14. A grid assembly adapted to be positioned in .an ice cube tray for use in a domestic refrigerator comprising, a. flexible plate-like member biased to normally lie in a flat condition, lateral grid members secured to and carried by said plate-like member and a longitudinal grid member so secured to said plate-like member that the plate-like member may be exed away from said longitudinal grid member to release ice cubes from said longitudinal grid member and separate the adjacent lateral gridmembers to relie in a flat condition, all of said transverse grid members being secured to and carried by said flexible cover and said flexible cover being movably secured to said longitudinal grid member so that it ca n be flexed away from said longitudinal grid member to release ice cubes from said grid assembly.

16. A grid assembly adapted to be positioned in an ice cube tray to form a, plurality of compartments, said grid assembly comprising a longitudinal grid member, a plurality of transverse grid members and a flexible member biased to norranged as to release pairs of cubes in succession.

WILLIAM H. KITTO. 

